


To Hold You Again

by navaan



Category: Avengers Assemble (Cartoon)
Genre: Established Relationship, Established Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, Ficlet, Fix-It, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, M/M, Post-Season/Series 03, Protective Steve Rogers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-15
Updated: 2017-06-15
Packaged: 2018-11-14 09:43:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11205438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/navaan/pseuds/navaan
Summary: For the first week after he’s back, Steve makes sure he has everything he needs.





	To Hold You Again

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the cap-ironman Avengers Assemble S04 Countdown.

For the first week after he’s back, Steve makes sure he has everything he needs.

There is coffee in his workshop. There are cookies and sandwiches and water, before he misses any of those things. There is breakfast to be shared when he gets up in the morning and there is some activity planned for when he gets restless. There is even time to fall asleep together in front of the television. 

He knows how often that happens without strict keeping of schedules and the taking of some precautions to ensure there won’t be disturbances.

Steve takes him on a trip outside of New York on his motorcycle when he says something about fresh air and landscapes and people and how much he’d missed all this. It’s not just an excuse to sit behind him on his bike and hold on to him, but they are both very okay with that being part of it.

It makes sense. They’ve missed each other.

But this is the third villain this week and the Avengers - old and new - are doing a good job of pushing back the shadow plane apparitions that have started randomly attacking people, and Tony is noticing a trend.

Tony loves being part of the team again, moving with the others, like it’s still second nature, like there was never any time when he wasn’t here.

It happens twice though:

A beam of energy is unleashed and he knows the armor can take it.

He never gets to find out, because Steve pushes him down and out of the way. “Careful, Iron Man,” he says.

And then there is the moment when Tony angles for a strike and two of the things attack him in the middle of the street and suddenly the shield is just there. Cap is holding it protectively in front of both of them looking grim.

He thinks about it all the way back to the tower.

He takes a shower and never stops thinking about it.

They need to talk about this at some point.

When he comes out of the bathroom, hair damp, towel loosely wrapped around his hips, feeling clean and relaxed and alive, Steve is sitting on the edge of the bed. He is still dressed in the Captain America uniform, but the cowl is pulled back so Tony can see his messy hair. And he doesn’t see much more than that, because Steve has his arms propped against his strong thighs and his head is hanging low.

“Everything alright?” he asks.

Steve sits back slowly and he looks so sad for a moment, before his expression goes soft. He smiles at Tony. “Relaxed a bit?”

“Were you worried?” Because nothing really worrying happened out there. It’s been the usual business. They took some hits, figured it out, saved the day. Nobody got hurt.

Steve pushes himself up from the bed, stands. They look at each other far too long. Then Steve just _moves_ , is on him faster than other men could even move, and Tony feels his back hit the bathroom door and he can barely hold on to the towel as Steve kisses him, deep and desperate, one hand on his check, the other on the small of his back, holding him poised like a partner in a dance. It’s so good, so good to be wanted and needed and loved. He has missed this. He yearns, still. He doesn’t complain, kisses, kisses with all the longing he has felt when he was separated from Steve.

“Just so you know,” Steve finally breathes in his ear. “I’m going to be horribly overprotective for some time and you better not complain about it.”

“Not complaining. Not yet.”

“I mean it. I’ll cramp your style in a fight and I’ll make sure you’re the furthest from danger I can get you. It will annoy you.”

“Already does,” he admits, but with a grin. “Stupid to put yourself in the line of fire when I’m the one wearing a tank, Steve.”

“Get used to it for now.” Steve’s arms wrap around his midsection and he loves the feeling of the uniform’s rough texture against his skin, loves the warmth and physicality of the touch. Softly Steve’s fingers are stroking circles into the still damp skin of his back, while they are just happy to hold each other. “I mean it. I’m not going to lose you again. Not for a time. Not forever. You stay right here with me.”

They both know that with their lives it’s not ever a promise that they can give each other. There is always a risk.

“I promise I’ll let you annoy me with overprotectiveness till it’s out of your system. Best deal I can offer.”

“Deal,” Steve agrees, mumbling the words into his skin.

Tony pats his back and starts keeping his promise by letting himself be held for as long as Steve needs it. There are worse things than having Steve’s arms wrapped around him, worse things than being softly kissed and cherished. 

He’s home.

He’s so glad to be home.


End file.
